Who do you remember from before they got big...

madcap_magician

madcap_magician

Farts rainbows.
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Feb 27, 2005
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I just saw a For Sale thread for a maker for whom I remember the first time he joined Bladeforums and started to sell. Now his work has nearly tripled in price, and he doesn't have the time to participate here much.

Whose work have you been following since their humble beginnings?

For me, this had led to some spectacular coulda-shoulda-woulda moments.

I was on Peter Carey's custom list when his base work was about $425 per knife.

I bought a Lucas Burnley custom kwaiken back when he was new for I believe $135. Now you can't even get a midtech from him for that.

Even for production knives, I've owned many a Benchmade balisong before they basically quadrupled in price.
 
L. T. Wright.. I met L.T while he was being taught by RW Wilson.. This was pre Blind Horse knives.. Also purchased a knife from him at that time.. John
 
I've known Andy Roy of Fiddleback Forge for years. I remember when he was first bending leather and posting over on the HI boards. I've bought two knives from him. One I would consider a "Gen 1" from when he still wasn't full time. It's a Woodsman model that has seen more hip time n the woods than any other fixed blade I own simply because it does so many things so well.

I don't cross paths with him nearly enough, but I have always considered Andy a good guy and a good friend. I'm glad to see him doing well and would recommend his knives to anyone.
 
I don't know if its the same, but I just read a thread here bemoaning the "challenges" of buying a Northwoods.

Had the pleasure of dealing with and buying from Ol' Dave Shirley back when he owned the brand and was doing small runs of slipjoints on Schatt&Morgan frames using this stash of 70's sambar he had.

Should have bought every one of them.
 
Well, I can remember when Sal was starting Spyderco and doing the gun shows in Pamona, CA personally. I bought knives from Chris Reeves when he was making them in SA. Tim Wegner from Bladetech started up in his garage in Kent, WA just around the corner from where I was living; used to see him and Phil Bogdanovich all the time. More recently TA Davison and John Lloyd have done pretty well off this board. Stick around and you find quality has value and you'll meet some pretty nice people.

Sadly, there's been too many guys no longer with us.
 
He's on IG as @edsmanifesto
 
Dozier and Dan Crotts still charge about 33% of what they could.

Crawford and Carson are not far behind. Even CRK.

They are the real deal. USA at the proper $$ for historic design. At least I have great taste. :cool:
 
My Dad went to school with Virgil England, and about 25 years ago he made a big chopper for Dad's survival kit. I thought that the price he paid at the time was way over the top for just a knife, but in hindsight I should have asked if I could get me on the short list too.
 
Maybe not here per say but Jay Neilson. He and my uncle are friends and my uncle provided him wood and steel. I own several knives from him. I used to see him a few times a year but haven't seen him since before forged in fire. His knives are great and I paid what they were worth and no arguments. He just isn't as accessible as before.
 
Some of the guys from the $50 knife club, Anso, Greco, Livesay. I remember Nathan when he started doin' all his WIPs before there was a waiting list. Bud Nealy when he was a part time maker/musician/photographer. I bought 1 of 7 of his first Aikuchis that he brought to sell at the first ECCKS or NYCKS I forget which, he sold out quickly and decided to become a full time maker at that point.

... and of course the likes of our own CMFTW I remember when he was a teenager with a dremmel tool waving anything that folded. The man who waved a Sebenza and gave it away after the poll as to whether he should or shouldn't wave a brand new Sebenza, Man that post generated tons of replies and many made their feelings well known about what he wanted to do. There are so many, almost too many to mention them all. John, Laurence and the many other full and part time makers out there you guts bring the custom knife market to masses and give many their start collecting customs.
 
I bought a fixed blade Todd Rexford at the Denver knife show about 150.00 ,he kind of had to talk me into it, it was a very nice piece but I was more in the market at the time for A Krein k9 dingo.In hindsight should have bought a couple more from him.
 
Ban Tang, T. Steingass, Ian Haburn, Dave Lisch, Ben Tendick, the DesRosiers, John Doyle, etc...The list of names off this forum who have created some "if I only" moments is pretty spectacular.
 
Alan Davis, Jarrett Fleming, Big Chris, Guy Seiferd and Ellie while still in Gettysburg...
All are top of the ladder in my book...
 
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